V\^    ar^a-t    revolt 


its    eTTe.ctt5    u^or\  the. 
imiS)5ion5    or  tne.    rre-ftoy 
teT\  c\r\    Boc\rci. 


BV 

2570 
.P76 
1857 


i 


2;, .    O  .  On- 


j,^  tl?«  ®ifPolDfltra/  « 


PRINCETON.  N.J. 


\ 


BV  2570  .P76  1857 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the 

U.S.A.  Board  of  Foreign 
The  great  revolt  in  India 


■^'s^^^'myjmr. 


T  H  E 


MAR   9    1904      • 


GREAT  REVOLT  IN  INDIA: 


ITS   EFFECTS   UPON 


THE  MISSIONS 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD, 


/ 


T,  L>  Vli\f-oh 


NEW  YORK  : 

PEINl-ED   FOH  THE  BOARD  OF  FOEEIGN   MISSIONS, 

By  Edwaeb  O.  Jenkins,  No.  26  Frankfort  St. 

1857. 


MISSIONS  OF  THE  PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD. 


GREAT   REVOLT   IN"   INDIA. 


A  MISSIONARY  meeting-  of  much  interest  was  held  in 
the  Scotch  Pi-esbyterian  Church  in  this  city,  on  Sabbath 
evening,  the  4th  inst.,  in  connection  with  the  peculiar 
and  trying  circumstances  of  the  missionaries  and  others 
in  India  at  the  present  time.  In  the  absence  of  Dr. 
Lowrie,  to  whom  the  correspondence  with  these  missions 
more  particularly  belongs,  remarks  were  made  by  the 
other  Secretaries,  the  substance  of  which  are  now  pub- 
lished for  the  information  they  contain  in  relation  to 
the  present  condition  and  future  prospects  of  these  mis- 
sions. 

REMARKS    BY   REV.   J.    LEIGHTON    WILSON. 

In  the  prosecution  of  the  great  work  of  spreading  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel  over  the  earth,  an  enterprise 
involving  the  honour  and  glory  of  the  Redeemer,  as  well 
as  the  best  interest  of  mankind,  we  have  experienced, 
in  one  of  the  great  sections  of  the  heathen  world,  an  un- 
expected and  almost  overwhelming  revulsion  ;  in  view 
of  which,  it  becomes  us,  as  a  church  and  people,  to 
humble  ourselves  before  God,  and  inquire  why  this  great 
calamity  has  been  permitted  to  befall  us. 

But  let  us  glance  first  at  the  history  of  our  missionary 


6 

labours  in  India,  and  the  causes  wliich  have  led  to  this 
sad  disaster. 

Northern,  or  Northwestern  India,  the  seat  of  this  re- 
volt, is  also  the  scene  of  the  earliest  missions  of  the 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign  Missions.  It  covers 
about  the  third  of  the  whole  of  British  India,  and  has  a 
population  of  more  than  thirty  millions,  made  up  chiefly 
of  Hindoos,  Mohammedans,  and  Sikhs.  It  has  always 
been  regarded  as  a  most  interesting  field  of  missionary 
labour,  not  only  on  account  of  its  own  size  and  import- 
ance, but  for  its  central  geographical  position,  furnish- 
ing a  doorway,  as  it  were,  to  all  the  great  nations  of 
western,  central,  northern,  and  eastern  Asia,  all  of  which 
in  their  turn  must  become  interesting  fields  of  mission- 
ary enterprise.  Its  importance  in  a  missionary  point  of 
view,  can  scarcely  therefore  be  exaggerated. 

It  is  more  than  twenty  years  since  our  missionary 
brethren  first  i-eared  the  gospel  standard  among  the 
pagan  and  Mohammedan  population  in  that  far-ofif  land. 
They  were  not  only  the  pioneers  there,  but  up  to  the 
present  day,  they  have  been  the  largest  and  altogether 
the  most  effective  missionary  body  in  that  part  of  India. 

At  the  time  they  commenced  their  labours,  that  part 
of  Northern  India  had  been  but  partially  subdued 
to  British  rule,  and  the  fires  of  hatred  were  still  smould- 
ering in  the  hearts  of  the  people  ;  and  especially  in 
the  hearts  of  the  Mohammedan  population,  who  had  been 
hurled  from  the  proud  eminence  they  held  in  that  country 
for  a  long  series  of  years. 

The  great  mass  of  the  Hindoo  population,  as  had  been 
the  case  in  all  other  parts  of  India  where  British  au- 
thority had  been  firmly  established,  soon  became  recon- 
ciled to  their  new  rulers;  and  indeed,  looked  up  to  them 


with  gratitude,  for  having  delivered  them  from  the  in- 
tolerable yoke  of  Mohammedanism. 

This  would  have  been  the  case  also  with  the  high 
caste  Hindoos,  who,  with  the  Mohammedans,  are  the 
chief  actors  in  these  bloody  tragedies,  if  it  had  not  been 
for  their  extreme  jealousy  of  the  levelling  influence  of 
Christianity. 

The  first  station  occupied  by  our  mission  forces  was 
Lodiana,  a  city  of  eighty  thousand  inhabitants,  and  oc- 
cupying a  central  position  of  what  is  usiially  denomi- 
nated Northwestern  India.  From  this  point  our  mis- 
sionary labours  were  gradually  extended  in  a  south- 
easterly direction,  along  the  banks  of  the  Ganges 
and  Jumna,  to  Allahabad  at  their  junction  ;  and  at  a 
later  period  in  a  northwesterly  direction  as  far  as  Pesh- 
awur,  a  city  in  the  extreme  northwest  corner  of  the 
Punjab,  and  on  the  borders  of  Afghanistan.  Between 
Peshawur  on  the  northwest,  and  Allahabad  on  the  south- 
east, a  distance  of  nearly  a  tliousand  miles,  we  have 
fifteen  principal  missionary  stations,  all  nearly  on  a  line 
with  each  other,  and  located,  for  the  most  part,  in  large 
cities,  the  names  of  which  are  sufficiently  familiar  to 
the  readers  of  our  missionary  journals. 

These  stations  have  been  occupied  for  nearly  twenty 
years  past  by  a  missionary  force  from  this  country  of 
about  fifty  persons,  besides  a  large  number  of  native 
helpers,  whom  they  have  trained  up  on  the  ground. 
Thirteen  Christian  churches  have  been  organized  at 
these  different  stations,  to  which  there  had  been  con- 
stant accessions  of  hopeful  converts,  especially  during 
the  two  last  years.  Up  to  the  period  of  the  recent  dis- 
turbances, our  missionary  brethren  had  in  their  schools, 
under  Christian  training,  nearly  four  thousand   native 


youths.  For  fifteen  j^ears  past  four  printing  presses 
had  been  industriously  employed  in  printing  the  word 
of  God  and  other  religious  books  ;  and  nearly  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  millions  of  pages  of  printed  truth  have 
been  scattered  far  and  wide  over  that  region  of  countrj^. 

This  brief  statement  shows  that  the  missionary  work 
had  been  prosecuted  with  great  vigour.  Our  brethren 
were  diligent  and  happy  in  their  work.  They  felt  that 
they  were  in  that  far-off  land  by  the  appointment  of  their 
Saviour  ;  and  not  only  did  they  enjoy  many  tokens  of 
his  approval,  but,  ever  and  anon,  as  a  warm-hearted 
convert  from  Mohammedanism  or  Brahmanism  joined 
their  company,  they  felt  less  like  strangers  in  a  strange 
land.  Their  prospects  were  becoming  brighter  and 
brighter  every  day,  and  their  hearts  glowed  with  love 
and  gratitude  as  they  contemplated  the  ripening  harvest 
in  every  direction.  They  had  sowed  in  tears — they  had 
toiled  and  borne  the  heat  and  burthen  of  the  day,  and 
now  they  are  whetting  their  sickles  to  gather  the  rich 
harvest  at  their  very  doors. 

But  suddenly  a  dark  and  mysterious  cloud  appears  on 
the  horizon,  not  larger  at  first  than  a  man's  hand,  but  it 
extends  and  spreads  itself,  until  the  whole  heavens  are 
covered  with  blackness,  save  that  lurid  flame  which  oc- 
casionally flashes  across  its  bosom,  to  make  its  black- 
ness more  black.  All  is  silent  and  trembling  ;  when  a 
fiery  torrent  gushes  forth,  and  like  the  desolating  lava, 
threatens  to  consume  and  sweep  away  everything  good 
in  the  sight  of  God,  or  dear  to  the  heart  of  the  Christian 
believer. 

It  is  soon  seen  that  the  Mohammedans  and  high  caste 
Hindoos,  natural  enemies  under  other  circumstances,  but 
like  Pilate  and  Herod  at  the  trial  of  Jesus,  are  leagued 


9 

together  for  the  extirpation  of  everybody  and  every- 
thing that  can  in  any  way  be  identified  with  the  sacred 
name  of  Christ.  These  remorseless  men,  having  seized 
the  military  power  of  the  country,  seem  to  be  transform- 
ed into  fiends,  and  deeds  of  cruelty  are  perpetrated, 
which  need  not  be  recited,  but  which  scarcely  have  a 
parallel  in  the  annals  of  the  human  race. 

Most  of  our  missionary  brethren,  with  their  little  ones, 
by  the  good  hand  of  God  upon  them,  made  their  way  to 
places  of  refuge  which  had  been  provided  for  them.  One 
company,  alas!  we  fear,  were  overtaken  by  the  storm 
and  sunk  down  in  the  open  plain  under  the  relentless 
strokes  of  their  cruel  persecutors. 

The  question  involuntarily  springs  up  in  thousands 
of  hearts,  Why  was  this  ?  Was  there  no  covert  provid- 
ed for  them  ?  Where  was  the  angel  of  the  covenant  ? 
Were  these  not  as  dear  to  the  Saviour  as  the  others,  and 
where  was  the  promise  that  He  would  be  with  them  to 
the  end  of  the  world  ?  Why  were  they  not  hid  away 
until  the  storm  had  passed,  and  then  brought  forth,  as 
their  surviving  brethren  undoubtedly  will  be,  to  labour 
afresh  for  their  Saviour  ? 

But  it  is  easier  to  propound,  than  to  answer  such  ques- 
tions. God  has  reasons  for  permitting  this,  and  those 
reasons,  are  founded  both  in  love  and  wisdom.  What 
he  does  we  know  not  now,  but  shall  know  hereafter, 

It  would  inflict  needless  pain  upon  ourselves,  to  try 
to  bring  up  to  our  imaginations,  the  scenes  connected 
with  the  martyrdom  of  these  Christian  friends.  They 
are  freed,  happy  spirits  now.  The  night  of  sorrow  is 
gone,  and  the  day  of  gladness  has  dawned  brightly  upon 
them.  The  cry  of  anguish  has  been  turned  into  songs 
of  exultation.     The  blood-stained  martyr  garments  have 


10 

been  exchanged  for  robes  washed,  and  made  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

They  have  left  their  friends,  and  the  church  to  which 
they  belonged,  a  comforting  memorial,  in  the  declara- 
tion made  in  the  immediate  prospect  of  a  violent  death, 
that  "  they  were  willing  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  Him 
who  had  died  for  them." 

Could  the  angel  who  stood  by  them  in  the  dark  hour 
of  death,  reveal  all  that  transpired  at  that  moment  ;  the 
composure  with  which  they  laid  their  dying  heads  on 
the  Saviour's  bosom;  the  accents  of  love  which  he 
whispered  in  their  ears;  the  beams  of  joy  that  were  shed 
down  upon  their  troubled  spirits  from  Heaven:  and  the 
bright  visions  of  heavenly  glory  that  were  revealed  to 
them,  it  would  be  more  than  mortal  man  could  endure. 

We  have  but  little  idea  of  what  is  passing  between 
the  Saviour  and  the  dying  Christian,  under  any  circum- 
stances. The  martyr  Stephen,  while  enduring  the  ruth- 
less assaults  of  his  cruel  murderers,  "  looked  up  stead- 
fastly to  heaven,  and  saw  the  glory  of  God,  and  Jesus 
standing  at  the  right  hand  of  God."  This  much  of  his 
experience  has  been  revealed  to  us.  What  else  he  may 
have  seen  and  heard,  we  know  not. 

So  in  relation  to  the  death  of  these  beloved  mission- 
aries. The  Saviour  was  undoubtedly  present  to  console 
and  sustain,  though  he  did  not,  for  wise  reasons,  avert 
the  stroke  of  death.  And  now  that  they  are  exultant  in 
heaven,  counting  it  their  highest  honour,  that  they  were 
called  to  suffer  a  martyr's  death,  why  should  we  not 
wipe  away  our  tears,  and  rejoice  with  them,  that  "  the 
Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 

It  is  now  generally  admitted  that  the  Mohammedans, 
and  the  high  caste  Hindoos,  of  whom  the  Bengal  army 


11 

was,  iu  a  great  measure,  composed,  were  not  only  tlie 
originators,  but  have  been  the  chief  actors  in  this  bloody 
revolt. 

A  variety  of  causes,  no  doubt,  operated  to  stir  up  this 
rebellion.  Impatience  of  foreign  rule  on  the  part  of  the 
insurgents,  hatred  of  Christianity,  and  mismanagement 
on  the  part  of  the  East  India  Company,  have,  no  doubt, 
been  the  chief  causes. 

Many  have  maintained  the  idea  that  this  outbreak  is 
to  be  ascribed  mainly  to  the  presence  and  influence  of 
missionaries.  But  this  is  a  total  misapprehension  of  the 
facts  of  the  case.  The  revolt  is  entirely  a  military  one. 
The  great  mass  of  the  people  have  as  yet  felt  little  or 
no  sympath}^  with  the  movement.  It  is  confined  to  the 
Mohammedans  and  the  high  caste  Hindoos,  of  which  the 
Bengal  army  is  almost  wholly  composed,  and  to  which 
the  missionaries  have  had  no  access  in  past  years. 

It  is  possible  that  these  men  may  have  regarded  with 
jealousy  the  labours  of  the  missionary,  and  especially 
their  success  among  he  people.  It  would  not  be  sur- 
prising if  such  had  been  the  case.  Our  Saviour  foi-e- 
warns  us  that  his  religion,  though  essentially  peaceful, 
and  destined  to  establish,  ultimately,  universal  peace  on 
earth,  would  nevertheless  cause  disturbance  in  its  pro- 
gress among  men.  His  disciples  encountered  opposi- 
tion at  every  stage  of  their  work.  The  history  of  Paul 
is  made  up  in  a  great  measure  with  accounts  of  tumults 
that  followed  upon  his  preaching. 

We  do  not  deny  that  some  such  feeling-  may  have 
been  excited  in  the  minds  of  those  who  have  been  the 
leaders  in  this  revolt. 

But  what  if  this  were  the  main  cause,  or  the  neces- 
sary consequences  of  preaching  the  gospel  to  such  com- 


12 

niunities  ?  Should  we  on  this  account  desist  ?  Where 
then  would  be  our  faith? — where  our  fidelity  to  Him, 
■whose  right  it  is  to  reign  over  these  benighted  men? 
Have  we  enlisted  in  his  service  but  to  turn  our  backs 
at  the  first  appearance  of  danger  ? 

And  what  should  the  British  government  do,  even  if  it 
had  been  ascertained  that  the  labours  of  the  mission- 
aries had  been  the  main  cause  of  the  revolt  ?  Will  they, 
dare  they  put  forth  a  hand  to  arrest  the  chariot  of  the 
Redeemer  ?  Would  that  government  cast  ofi^  her  own 
religion,  that  she  might  rule  over  a  heathen  realm  ?  And 
if  she  were  even  so  disposed,  would  she,  could  she  bear 
rule  for  any  considerable  length  of  time  over  men  with 
such  natures,  such  hearts,  as  have  been  displayed  in  this 
recent  outbreak  ? 

But  the  great  question  with  us  is  to  ascertain  what 
lessons  God  intends  for  us  by  these  aflQictive  dispensa- 
tions. The  conflict  between  the  British  army  and  the 
insurgent  Sepoys,  will  not,  probably,  be  very  protracted. 
English  authority,  to  all  human  appearance,  must  be 
restored.  But  the  conflict  will  have  been  a  very  costly 
one  to  us.  When  we  come  to  survey  the  field  of  car- 
nage, we  shall  find  that  four  of  our  dearest  missionaries 
and  their  families  are  gone,  and  more  than  $100,000 
worth  of  property  destroyed.  Surely  it  becomes  us  to 
inquire  what  lessons  the  great  Head  of  the  Church 
would  impart  to  us  by  this  dispensation  of  his  providence. 

1st.  One  of  the  designs  of  this  providence  is  un- 
doubtedly to  humble  us  before  God,  and  lead  us  to 
more  earnest  prayer. 

Should  it  not  be  regarded  as  a  rebuke  for  the  little 
interest  we  have  felt  in  this  great  work  ?  God  in  his 
providence  threw  open  the  whole  of  India  to  us.     The 


13 

evil  passions  of  wicked  men  were  kept  under  the  re- 
straints of  his  g-race.  Every  facility  of  access  to  the 
country  was  placed  within  our  reach.  The  most  abun- 
dant resources  were  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Church, 
and  if  we  had  done  what  we  might  and  what  we  ought, 
the  influences  of  the  gospel  might  have  become  so  pow- 
erful that  the  catastrophe  we  mourn  might  have  been 
averted  altogether.  We  laid  an  offering  on  the  altar,  it 
is  true,  but,  in  the  language  of  another,  it  was  so  small, 
"  that  God  consumed  it  in  anger  !"  0  !  how  humili- 
ating the  thought  that  God  should  have  found  it  neces- 
sary to  adopt  so  severe  a  measure  to  rouse  us  from  our 
indifference  and  inactivity. 

2d.  Another  design  of  this  providence,  undoubtedly, 
is  to  give  us  correct  notions  of  the  true  character  of  the 
heathen  ;  and  the  intrinsic  difficulty  of  the  work  of  es- 
tablishing the  gospel  among  them.  We  are  prone  to 
lose  sight  of  this.  Most  of  those  who  have  written 
about  them  have  looked  only  upon  the  surface — they 
have  looked  upon  human  nature  in  a  quiescent  state — 
or  have  only  seen  the  lower  propensities  at  work,  while 
the  more  powerful  passions  have  been  kept  in  check. 
Missionaries,  too,  who  have  had  but  a  limited  experi- 
ence, have  been  misled  in  the  same  way. 

The  recent  scenes  in  India  will  give  a  different  im- 
pression, and  it  is  v/ell  for  us  to  bear  in  mind  that 
wherever  in  the  heathen  world  our  missionary  brethren 
may  be  called  to  labour,  they  are  among  men  who  have 
not  the  fear  of  God  before  their  eyes  ;  and  they  need, 
therefore,  our  constant  remembrance  and  prayers. 

3d.  A  further  design  of  this  providence  is  undoubtedly 
to  make  us  feel  that  we  must  place  our  dependence  upon 
God  for  success  and  protection,  and  not  upon  an  arm  of 
flesh. 


14 

The  overthrow  of  Mohammedanism  in  India,  and  flie 
establishment  of  a  Christian  government  in  its  stead, 
has  always  been  looked  upon  as  a  most  favourable 
interposition  for  the  cause  of  Christian  missions.  And 
this  is  a  just  view  of  the  matter.  Our  fault,  and  the 
one  for  which  we  have  been  rebuked,  is  in  having  lean- 
ed too  much  upon  an  agency,  established  merely  to  aid 
in  the  work,  and  having  forgotten  our  dependence  upon 
the  favour  and  blessing  of  God.  It  is  not  surprising, 
therefore,  that  he  has  rebuked  us.  He  will  not  give  his 
glory  to  another,  and  when  the  day  of  India's  redemp- 
tion is  fully  come,  the  glory  of  it  will  not  be  ascribed 
to  the  East  India  Company,  to  the  British  government, 
to  the  progress  of  civilization,  or  to  the  labours  of  the 
missionaries,  but  to  God  alone,  the  author  of  it. 

4th.  Another  end  of  the  providence,  and  it  is  the 
bi'ight  side  of  the  picture,  is,  that  God  is  preparing  the 
way  for  the  upbuilding  of  his  kingdom  in  that  part  of 
the  world,  on  a  broader  and  deeper  foundation. 

We  do  not  see  how  British  authority  can  be  firmly 
established  in  India  again,  until  Mohammedan  intoler- 
ance and  High  Caste  pride  are  thoroughly  crushed  out ; 
and  when  this  is  done,  two  of  the  most  serious  obsta- 
cles to  the  progress  of  Christianity  will  be  taken  out 
of  the  way.  We  look  forward  then,  to  a  bright  day  to 
succeed  this  terrible  night  of  darkness. 

What  then  are  we,  as  a  missionary  Board,  as  mission- 
aries, and  as  a  Christian  church  to  do,  but  to  gird  oui'- 
selves  afresh  to  the  Avork,  feeling  assured  that  God  will 
accept  our  humiliation,  and  bless  our  future  labours, 
as  he  has  never  done  before. 


15 


MR.   LOWRIE'S    remarks. 


He  stated  that  one  important  question  might  be  further 
illustrated,  and  he  would  confine  himself  to  it. 

What  is  now  the  duty  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
relation  to  the  missionary  work  in  India  ?  In  consider- 
ing this  question,  several  things  must  be  noticed. 

1.  WAat  has  hecn  the  loss  of  property  ? 

The  missions  in  India  embrace  fifteen  stations.  As 
far  as  we  are  yet  informed,  nine  of  these  stations  have 
not  been  injured.  The  remaining  six  stations  have  suf- 
fered severely,  viz.  :  Lodiana,  Futtehgurh,  Agra,  Alla- 
habad, Mynpurie,  and  Futtehpore.  At  these  there  have 
been  destroyed,  nine  churches,  thirteen  houses,  four 
high-school  buildings,  two  printing  establishments,  with 
type  foundries,  binderies,  matrices,  and  types  for  the 
different  alphabets  of  India,  and  the  depositories,  with 
ten  millions  of  pages  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  and  re- 
ligious tracts.  Nine  families  also,  leaving  out  the  mis- 
sionaries from  Futtehgurh,  have  lost  their  all — furni- 
ture, clothing,  bedding,  books,  in  short  everything  but 
the  clothes  they  had  on. 

2.  What  amount  of  funds  xcill  the  Board  require  to  com- 
mence their  operations  again. 

First  :  The  mission  families  must  be  supplied  with 
means  to  commence  housekeeping  again.  Their  salaries 
are  so  regulated  as  to  afford  them  a  competent  support 
merely.  Second  :  Houses  suitable  to  the  climate  of 
India  must  be  provided  for  them.  When  these  are  pre- 
pared, the  missionaries  may  resume  their  work.  The 
native  assistants,  and  native  Christians  would  collect 


16 

around  them.  As  soon  as  possible  the  printing  press 
will  have  to  be  added,  and  schools  commenced,  to  such 
an  extent  as  the  Board,  after  twenty  years'  experience, 
may  deem  expedient.  It  is  not  easy  to  say  definitely, 
what  additional  amount  of  funds  will  be  required  for  all 
these  items.  After  the  first  items  are  supplied,  the 
others  would  require  some  time,  and  of  course  depend- 
ent on  the  amount  of  means  supplied.  All  that  we  can 
say  at  present  is,  that  to  resume  the  missionary  work, 
a  much  larger  sum  than  usual,  for  several  years,  will 
be  wanted. 

3.  Will  the  state  of  India  he  sucJi,  in  any  reasonable 
time,  that  the  missionary  work  may  he  resumed  7 

The  present  outbreak  in  India  has  been  a  terrible 
providence.  The  deliberate  murder  of  the  officers,  mis- 
sionaries, and  others,  and,  above  all,  the  cruel,  and  even 
horrible  treatment  of  defenceless  women  and  children, 
makes  the  blood  run  cold.  I  shall  not  give  the  details 
of  these  fiendlike  inflictions  ;  before  such  an  audience 
I  could  not  describe  them.  But  in  view  of  such  un- 
heard of  atrocities,  in  a  district  of  more  than  a  thou- 
sand miles,  it  is  no  wonder  that  the  first  impression,  on 
hearing  of  them,  would  be,  that  the  whole  of  British 
India,  if  not  lost,  would  require  years  of  wars  and  con- 
fusion, before  peace  could  be  restored  But  a  calmer 
view  of  the  real  condition  of  India,  and  the  strength  of 
Great  Britain,  will  show  that  these  fears  are  groundless. 
The  seat  of  this  outbreak,  from  Calcutta  to  Peshawur, 
contains  a  population  of  more  than  fifty  millions.  From 
the  accounts  given  in  the  English  papers,  I  cannot 
make  the  number  of  mutineers  more  than  eighty  thou- 
sand, but  say  they  were  one  hundred  thousand.     Then 


17 

their  number,  compared  with  the  wliole  population, 
would  be  one  to  four  hundred  and  ninety-nine.  Now  we 
find  that  the  mass  of  the  entire  population  stand  aloof 
from  the  mutineers.  The  only  exception  worth  noticing 
is,  that  in  the  cities  a  parcel  of  vagabonds  have  joined 
them  in  plundering  and  burning  the  houses.  It  may  be 
said  this  large  number  includes  the  women  and  children. 
If  these  were  all  deducted,  the  relative  proportion  of 
the  numbers  would  still  be  overwhelming,  some  one 
hundred  and  fifty,  or  two  hundred  to  one.  But  I  am 
not  willing  to  deduct  the  women  and  children.  It  has 
been  remarked  that  women  and  children  are  God's 
police.  They  are  conservative  everywhere,  in  every 
nation,  and  in  every  city,  and  I  would  rather  have  on 
my  side  fifty  millions  embracing  them,  than  fifty  millions 
made  up  of  men  alone.  If  the  population  of  India  had 
risen  as  one  mass,  as  our  fathers  did  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war,  the  days  of  British  rule  in  India  w^ould  have 
been  ended.  But  the  great  mass  of  the  people  in  India 
know  too  well  the  peace  and  protection  from  oppression 
they  now  enjoy,  to  cast  these  blessings  from  them. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  injustice  of  some  of  the 
earlier  conquests  of  India,  the  British  government  has 
been  to  that  people  the  greatest  blessing  they  have 
ever  enjoj^  ed.  It  is  true  that  many  mistakes  have  been 
made  by  their  present  rulers.  I  shall  notice  but  one, 
which  is  the  greatest  of  them  all.  The  East  India  Com- 
pany have  expended  large  sums  for  education  ;  but  it 
was  for  a  godless  and  christless  education.  Their 
school  commissioners  were  required  to  examine  every 
book,  and  if  on  any  page  the  name  of  the  blessed 
Saviour  was  found,  it  was  carefully  cut  out  !  Divine 
revelation  was  excluded,  whilst  the   Koran    and   the 


18 

Shasters  were  freely*  admitted.  The  result  of  such 
teaching  was,  that  the  native  systems  of  absurdity  and 
idolatry  were  destroyed,  and  the  young  men  came  out 
confirmed  deists  or  atheists.  The  labours  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  India,  aided  and  sustained  as  they  have 
been  by  the  liberal  donations,  and  the  example  of  many 
pious  officers,  both  in  the  army  and  the  civil  service, 
have  done  much  to  correct  this  ruinous  course,  and  we 
may  hope  that  for  the  future  wiser  councils  will  prevail. 
Still  with  all  the  mistakes  that  have  been  made,  the 
great  mass  of  the  inhabitants  of  India  have  reposed 
under  the  protection  of  British  justice,  administered  by 
many  able  and  faithful  men.  Viewing  then  almost  the 
entire  population  taking  no  part  in  the  present  insurrec- 
tion, the  rule  of  the  mutineers  must  soon  come  to  an 
end.  It  would  indeed  have  ended  in  a  very  short  time, 
had  it  not  been  for  the  distance  from  England  to  India. 
When  the  troops  on  the  wsiy  shall  have  arrived,  peace 
will  be  at  once  restored.  Important  points  like  Allaha- 
bad, Agra,  &c.,  will  be  again  occupied  by  British 
officials  and  their  dependents,  and  the  way  will  be  open 
for  our  missionaries  to  resume  their  peaceful  labors. 
Then  native  assistants  and  native  Christians  will  gather 
round  them,  and  the  Lord's  work  go  forward. 

4.  The  call  for  additional  funds  comes  to  the  Church  at 
the  time  of  a  severe  cotnmercicd  pressure  in  the  community. 

This,  as  far  as  we  are  concerned,  gives  intensity  to 
the  afflictive  dispensation  of  God  in  the  suspension  of 
our  India  mission,  and  the  destruction  of  mission  pro- 
perty there.  We  are  inquiring  in  regard  to  the  duty 
of  the  Church.  If  it  be  her  duty  to  resume  and  even 
enlarge  her  missions  in  India,  then  additional  and  even 


19 

enlarged  means  will  be  wanted,  at  tlie  very  time  when 
the  ability  to  contribute  as  formerly  is  greatly  lessened. 
God  is  teaching  his  people,  by  these  providences,  that 
his  service  requires  more  self-denial  than  they  have 
ever  exercised  heretofore.  He  requires  them  to  honour 
him  with  the  first  fruits  of  all  their  increase.  A  beau- 
tiful example  we  have  in  the  widow  of  Sarepta.  The 
prophet  asked  her  for  a  drink  of  water.  "  And  as  she 
was  going  to  fetch  it,  he  called  to  her  and  said.  Bring 
me,  I  pray  thee,  a  morsel  of  bread  in  thy  hand.  And 
she  said,  As  the  Lord  thy  God  liveth,  I  have  not  a  cake, 
but  a  haudfuU  of  meal  in  a  barrel,  and  a  little  oil  in  a 
cruise  ;  and  behold,  I  am  gathering  two  sticks  that  I 
may  go  in  and  dress  it  for  me  and  my  son,  that  we  may 
eat  it  and  die.  And  Elijah  said  unto  her,  Fear  not ;  go 
and  do  as  thou  hast  said  ;  but  make  me  a  little  cake 
thereof  first,  and  bring  it  unto  me,  and  after  make  for 
thee  and  thy  son.  And  she  went  and  did  after  the  say- 
ing of  Elijah  ;  and  she,  and  he,  and  her  house,  did  eat 
many  days." 

I  admit  freely  that  if  the  members  of  the  Church  be 
contributing  according  to  their  ability,  as  God  has  pros- 
pered them,  they  are  not  required  to  do  more.  But 
what  is  the  result  ?  Last  year  was  one  of,  great  pros- 
perity in  our  whole  country.  The  contributions  of  the 
whole  Church  for  Foreign  Missions,  averaged  less  than 
one  cent  a  week  to  each  communicant  on  the  rolls  of 
the  Church.  Had  one  cent  a  week  been  contributed  by 
each  member,  instead  of  a  balance  of  eleven  thousand 
dollars  against  the  treasury,  there  would  have  been  a 
balance  of  two  thousand  dollars  in  its  favour.  Such  a 
statement  should  fill  us  ail  with  humiliation  and  shame. 

My  dear  friends,  we  are  met  here  to-night  to  Immble 


20 

ourselves  before  God,  under  his  severe  rebuke,  and 
under  a  distressing  dispensation  of  his  righteous  provi- 
dence. Truly  "we  are  all  guilty  in  his  sight,  and  the 
the  whole  Church  have  much  cause  for  humiliation  and 
prayer  before  God.  We  cannot  say  tliat  we  have  done 
our  duty.  A  portion  of  the  Church,  ministers  and  elders, 
and  members  have  done  something,  but  how  very  little 
that  has  been  !  How  cold  have  been  our  prayers  ! 
How  seldom  have  we  considered  the  condition  of  the 
perishing  heathen.  One  thing  is  certain,  we  cannot 
plead  inability.  Even  in  the  present  financial  pressure 
there  are  means  enough  in  the  hands  of  professing  Chris- 
tians, to  restore  and  enlarge  the  missions  in  India,  and 
to  carry  forward  the  work  in  other  places,  beyond  any- 
thing that  has  yet  been  attempted,  and  that  too  with- 
out interfering  in  the  least  with  any  other  of  the  evan- 
gelical agencies  of  the  Church. 

5.    Can  the  missionaries  he  obtained. 

I  have  referred  to  the  loss  of  mission  property,  heavy 
and  severe  it  has  been.  But  there  is  another  loss,  far 
more  distressing,  far  more  heavy  and  severe  ;  the  loss  of 
precious  men  and  women,  cut  down  in  the  prime  of  life, 
by  the  hands  of  bloody  men,  whilst  engaged  in  the  mis- 
sionary work.  This  distressing  providence  has  been 
feelingly  noticed  by  the  brother  who  has  just  addressed 
you,  but  it  is  so  connected  with  the  question  of  the  duty 
of  the  Church,  that  I  will  refer  to  it  also.  These  mar- 
tyrs were  Messrs.  Freeman,  Campbell,  Johnston,  McMul- 
len,  and  their  wives,  and  two  children  of  Mr.  Campbell. 
Our  last  letters  from  these  dear  friends,  are  dated  the 
2d  of  June,  from  Futtehgurh.  They  were  then  fully 
aware  of  their  imminent  peril,  and  their  expression  of 


21 

faith  and  trust  in  tbe  merits  of  an  all-sufficient  Saviour, 
and  their  willingness,  if  that  were  his  blessed  will,  to 
lay  down  their  lives  in  his  service,  afford  now  a  rich 
legacy  to  their  surviving  friends,  and  to  tbe  church  of 
God.  From  other  sources,  we  have  heard,  that  soon 
after  the  2d  of  June,  our  friends,  with  some  European 
families,  left  Futtehgurh  in  boats,  intending,  if  possible, 
to  get  to  Allahabad.  That  after  descending  the  Ganges 
for  some  distance,  they  wei'e  arrested  and  taken  prison- 
ers by  a  party  of  mutineers,  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Bithoor,  some  distance  above  Cawnpore.  One  account 
stated  that  a  powerful  Zimindar,  on  the  Oude  side  of 
the  river,  agreed  to  protect  them.  Another  account, 
that  they  were  taken  to  Bithoor,  in  company  with  the 
English  residents  of  Futtehgurh.  Here  we  lose  the 
sight  of  them.  We  still  hoped  they  might  be  preserved. 
But  the  British  army  have  regained  possession  of  Cawn- 
pore, and  Bithoor,  and  our  dear  friends  are  not  found 
alive.  With  the  appropriate  and  feeling  remarks  which 
we  have  just  heard,  from  my  colleague,  I  most  cordially 
agree.  But  constituted  as  we  are,  we  must  weep  over 
graves  of  those  we  love  ;  our  Lord  wept  over  the  grave 
of  Lazarus,  and  devout  men  carried  the  first  Christian 
martyr  to  his  burial,  and  made  great  lamentation  over 
him.  We  are  not  permitted  that  sad  privilege.  Alas, 
alas,  sad  and  terrible  were  their  deaths,  and  at  the  time 
there  were  none  to  carry  them  to  their  burial.  But  I 
would  not  thus  seek  the  living  among  the  dead.  They 
are  done  with  sin  and  sorrow.  God  himself  has  wiped 
away  all  the  tears  from  their  eyes,  and  the  days  of  their 
mourning  are  ended.  They  have  joined  tbe  great  and 
ever  enlarging  circle  in  heaven,  where  the  redeemed  are 
ever  praising  God  and  the  Lamb.     Let  us  see  of  what 


22 

that  circle  is  composed,  and  we  shall  there  find  an 
answer  to  the  questions,  whether  missionaries  can  be 
obtained,  and  what  is  the  duty  of  the  Church. 

The  word  of  God  is  full  of  prophecies  and  promises 
that  the  Gentile  nations  shall  be  given  to  Christ.  In  the 
seventh  chapter  of  Revelation,  the  apostle,  under  the  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Spirit,  writes  the  history  of  the 
final  triumph  of  the  Saviour's  kingdom.  After  record- 
ing the  sealing  of  God's  servants  among  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  he  writes,  "  After  this  I  beheld,  and,  lo,  a  great 
multitude  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations, 
and  kindreds  and  peoiDle,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the 
throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes, 
and  palms  in  their  hands."  In  that  glorious  circle  our 
dear  martyred  friends  are  now  standing.  Among  them 
are  redeemed  souls,  gone  up  before  them,  from  the  mis- 
sion in  India.  The  Spirit  of  God  has  blessed  the  agency 
of  the  Church  there,  feeble  although  it  was,  for  the  re- 
demption of  souls.  And  not  in  India  alone,  but  in  China, 
and  Siam,  and  Africa,  in  South  America,  and  among  the 
Indian  tribes  of  our  own  land.  New  names  of  tongues 
had  to  be  inscribed  on  that  circle  for  them,  the  Choc- 
taws,  the  Chickasaws,  the  Muskogees,  the  Seminoles, 
the  lowas,  the  Sacs,  the  Omahas,  the  Chippewas,  and 
the  Ottawas,  are  there,  and  from  these  tribes  many 
others  are  on  the  way.  With  such  fruits  of  the  feeble 
efforts  of  the  Church  in  years  past,  can  she  refuse  her 
gold  or  her  silver,  her  sons  and  her  daughters  ?  Ma)iy 
people  and  tongues  have  not  yet  heard  of  the  Saviour. 
Their  names  are  not  yet  in  the  blessed  circle.  Let  us 
then,  my  dear  friends,  and  let  the  whole  Church,  rise  up 
as  one  man  to  the  Lord's  work.  Let  us  look  away  from 
ourselves  to  the  Lord  Christ.     Let  us  take  a  low  place 


23 

in  the  dust  before  him,  and  be  willing  that  he  may  have 
all  the  glory  of  saving  lost  souls.  Let  us  never  forget 
the  inefficieucj^  of  all  human  agency,  without  the  Spirit 
of  God.  Let  us  never  forget  that  it  is  not  by  power, 
nor  by  might,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord  of 
Hosts 


